Cotton variety fm 2322gl

ABSTRACT

The cotton variety FM 2322GL is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and cotton lint as well as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by repeatedly crossing plants of variety FM 2322GL with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of FM 2322GL and to plants of FM 2322GL reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from FM 2322GL.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of plant breeding. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a variety of cotton designated asFM 2322GL, its essentially derived varieties and the hybrid varietiesobtained by crossing FM 2322GL as a parent line with plants of othervarieties or parent lines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cotton is an important, fiber producing crop. Due to the importance ofcotton to the textile industry, cotton breeders are increasingly seekingto obtain healthy, good yielding crops of excellent quality.

Cotton is commonly reproduced by self-pollination and fertilization.This type of sexual reproduction facilitates the preservation of plantand variety characteristics during breeding and seed production. Thepreservation of these characteristics is often important to plantbreeders for producing cotton plants having desired traits. Othermethods of producing cotton plants having desired traits are also usedand include methods such as genetic transformation via Agrobacteriuminfection or direct transfer by microparticle bombardment. Examples ofsuch methods are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pub. No. 20090049564,incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Due to the environment, the complexity of the structure of genes andlocation of a gene in the genome, among other factors, it is difficultto predict the phenotypic expression of a particular genotype. Inaddition, a plant breeder may only apply his skills on the phenotype andnot, or in a very limited way, on the level of the genotype. As aresult, a particular plant breeder cannot breed the same variety twiceusing the same parents and the same methodology. Thus, a newly bredvariety is an unexpected result of the breeding process. Indeed, eachvariety contains a unique combination of characteristics.

By carefully choosing the breeding parents, the breeding and selectionmethods, the testing layout and testing locations, the breeder may breeda particular variety type. In addition, a new variety may be tested inspecial comparative trials with other existing varieties in order todetermine whether the new variety meets the required expectations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, parts of plants,cotton lint or fiber, and cotton textiles of cotton variety FM 2322GL aswell as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by repeatedlycrossing plants of FM 2322GL with other cotton plants, and EssentiallyDerived Varieties of cotton variety FM 2322GL. The invention encompassesplants and plant varieties produced by the method of derivation oressential derivation from plants of FM 2322GL and to plants of FM 2322GLreproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited toregeneration of embryogenic cells or tissue of FM 2322GL. The inventionalso encompasses methods of producing cotton seeds that comprisecrossing plants of cotton variety FM 2322GL either with itself or with asecond, distinct cotton plant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention has been obtained by a general breeding process comprisingthe steps outlined below. For reference, see chapter 11, “BreedingSelf-Pollinated Crops by Hybridization and Pedigree Selection” in Briggsand Knowles (1967).

Parent plants, which have been selected for good agronomic and fiberquality traits are manually crossed in different combinations. Theresulting F1 (Filial generation 1) plants are self fertilized and theresulting F2 generation plants, which show a large variability onaccount of optimal gene segregation, are planted in a selection field.

These F2 plants are observed during the growing season for health,growth vigor, plant type, plant structure, leaf type, stand ability,flowering, maturity, seed yield, boll type, boll distribution, bollsize, fiber yield and fiber quality. Plants are then selected. Theselected plants are harvested and the bolls analyzed for fibercharacteristics and the seed cleaned and stored. This procedure isrepeated in the following growing seasons, whereby the selection andtesting units increase from individual plants in the F2, to multipleplant containing ‘lines’ (descending from one mother plant) in the F5and the number of units decrease from approximately 2500 plants in theF2 to 20 lines in the F5 by selecting about 10-20% of the units in eachselection cycle.

The increased size of the units, whereby more seed per unit isavailable, allows the selection and testing in replicated trials on morethan one location with a different environment and a more extensive andaccurate analysis of the fiber quality.

The lines or candidate varieties become genotypically more homozygousand phenotypically more homogeneous by selecting similar plant typeswithin a line and by discarding the so called off-types from the veryvariable F2 generation on to the final F7 or F8 generation.

Depending on the intermediate results the plant breeder may decide tovary the procedure described above, such as by accelerating the processby testing a particular line earlier or retesting a line another year.He may also select plants for further crossing with existing parentplants or with other plants resulting from the current selectionprocedure.

By the method of recurrent backcrossing, as described by Briggs andKnowles, supra, in chapter 13, “The Backcross Method of Breeding”, thebreeder may introduce a specific trait or traits into an existingvaluable line or variety, while otherwise preserving the uniquecombination of characteristics of this line or variety. In this crossingmethod, the valuable parent is recurrently used to cross it at least twoor three times with each resulting backcross F1, followed by selectionof the recurrent parent plant type, until the phenotype of the resultingF1 is similar or almost identical to the phenotype of the recurrentparent with the addition of the expression of the desired trait ortraits.

This method of recurrent backcrossing eventually results in anessentially derived variety, which is predominantly derived from therecurrent parent or initial variety. This method can therefore also beused to get as close as possible to the genetic composition of anexisting successful variety. Thus, compared to the recurrent parent theessentially derived variety retains a distinctive trait, which can beany phenotypic trait, with the intention to profit from the qualities ofthat successful initial variety.

Depending on the number of backcrosses and the efficacy of the selectionof the recurrent parent plant type and genotype, which can be supportedby the use of molecular markers as described by P. Stam (2003), thegenetic conformity with the initial variety of the resulting essentiallyderived variety may vary between 90% and 100%. The relatedness can, forexample be determined by fingerprinting techniques (e.g., making use ofisozyme markers and/or molecular markers such as SNP markers, AFLPmarkers, microsatellites, minisatellites, RAPD markers, RFLP markers andothers). A plant is “closely related” to FM 2322GL if its DNAfingerprint is at least 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% identical to thefingerprint of FM 2322GL. In one embodiment, AFLP markers are used forDNA fingerprinting (Vos et al. 1995, Nucleic Acid Research 23:4407-4414). A closely related plant may have a Jaccard's Similarityindex of at least about 0.8, preferably at least about 0.9, 0.95, 0.98or more (Pisanu et al. ISHS 2004, Acta Hort. 660).

Other than recurrent backcrossing, as described herein, such essentiallyderived variety may also be obtained by the selection from an initialvariety of an induced or natural occurring mutant plant, or of anoccurring variant (off-type) plant, or of a somaclonal variant plant, orby genetic transformation of regenerable plant tissue or embryogeniccell cultures of the said initial variety by methods well known to thoseskilled in the art, such as Agrobacterium-mediated transformation asdescribed by Sakhanokho et al, (2004), Reynaerts et al. (2000), Umbecket al. (1988) and others. Examples of transgenic events transformed inthis way are “LLCotton25,” USDA-APHIS petition 02-042-01p, “Cot 102,”USDA-APHIS petition 03-155-01p, and “281-24-236,” USDA-APHIS petition03-036-01p combined with “3006-210-23,” USDA-APHIS petition 03-036-02p.Information regarding these and other transgenic events referred toherein may be found at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website. An “Event”is defined as a (artificial) genetic locus that, as a result of geneticengineering, carries a foreign DNA comprising at least one copy of thegene(s) of interest. Other methods of genetic transformation are wellknown in the art such as microprojectile bombardment. See, e.g., U.S.Publication No. 20090049564, which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety.

The plants selected or transformed retain the unique combination of thecharacteristics of FM 2322GL, except for the characteristics (e.g., one,two, three, four or five characteristics) changed by the selection ofthe mutant or variant plant or by the addition of a desired trait viagenetic transformation. Therefore, the product of essential derivation(i.e., an essentially derived variety), has the phenotypiccharacteristics of the initial variety, except for the characteristicsthat change as a result of the act of derivation. Plants of theessentially derived variety can be used to repeat the process ofessential derivation. The result of this process is also a varietyessentially derived from said initial variety.

In one embodiment, FM 2322GL progeny plants are produced by crossingplants of FM 2322GL with other, different or distinct cotton plants, andfurther selfing or crossing these progeny plants with other, distinctplants and subsequent selection of derived progeny plants. The processof crossing FM 2322GL derived progeny plants with itself or otherdistinct cotton plants and the subsequent selection in the resultingprogenies can be repeated up to 7 or 8 times in order to produce FM2322GL derived cotton plants.

FM 2322GL was derived from a backcross breeding program with anexperimental recurrent as one parent and an experimental line as thedonor parent containing both GLYTOL® and LIBERTYLINK® tolerance. Withall generations conducted in greenhouses, the initial cross was made in2008, after which two additional backcrosses to the recurrent line,followed by two generations of selfing, resulted in numerous singleplants in 2010 that were identified as being homozygous for both GLYTOL®and LIBERTYLINK® resistance. Open pollinated selfed seed harvested fromeach of those individual greenhouse-grown plants were grown in a summer2010 field nursery. These lines were tested in replicated field trialsin 2011, with the best performing lines being tested again in 2012. Oneline was identified from these replicated tests with exceptional yieldand fiber performance, and good adaptation to the Texas High Plains.Breeder seed of this line was produced in winter nursery 2012-13 andthen tested extensively in 2013.

Provided herein as embodiments of the invention are seeds, plants, plantcells and parts of plants of the cotton variety FM 2322GL.Representative seeds of this variety will be deposited under rule 37CFR1.809, prior to issuance of a patent. Applicant will make a deposit ofat least 2500 seeds of cotton variety FM 2322GL disclosed herein withthe American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard,Manassas, Va. 20110-2209 USA. The accession number for the deposit isATCC Accession No. ______. The seeds are deposited with the ATCC on date______. Access to this deposit will be made available during thependency of the application to the Commissioner of Patents andTrademarks and persons determined by the Commissioner to be entitledthereto upon request. The deposit will be maintained for a period of 30years, or 5 years after the most recent request, or for the enforceablelife of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced if itbecomes nonviable during that period. Applicant does not waive anyrights granted under this patent or under the Plant Variety ProtectionAct (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.).

Plants produced by growing such seeds are provided herein as embodimentsof the invention. Also provided herein are pollen or ovules of theseplants, as well as a cell or tissue culture of regenerable cells fromsuch plants. In another embodiment, the invention provides for a cottonplant regenerated from such cell or tissue culture, wherein theregenerated plant has the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of cotton cultivar FM 2322GL when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions. In yet another embodiment, the inventionprovides methods of testing for a plant having the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cotton cultivar FM 2322GL. In oneembodiment, the testing for a plant having the morphological andphysiological characteristics of cotton cultivar FM 2322GL is performedin the same field, under the same conditions and in the presence ofplants of FM 2322GL, e.g., plants grown from the seed deposited underAccession number ______.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides regenerable cellsfor use in tissue culture of cotton cultivar FM 2322GL. The tissueculture will preferably be capable of regenerating plants having thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the cotton cultivarFM 2322GL, and of regenerating plants having substantially the samegenotype as the cotton plant of the present invention. Preferably, theregenerable cells in such tissue cultures will be from embryos,protoplasts, meristematic cells, callus, pollen, leaves, anthers,pistils, roots, root tips, flowers, seeds, pods or stems. Still further,the present invention provides cotton plants regenerated from the tissuecultures of the invention.

Yet another aspect of the current invention is a cotton plant of thecotton variety FM 2322GL comprising at least a first transgene, whereinthe cotton plant is otherwise capable of expressing all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the cotton variety FM2322GL. In particular embodiments of the invention, a plant is providedthat comprises a single locus conversion. A single locus conversion maycomprise a transgenic gene which has been introduced by genetictransformation into the cotton variety FM 2322GL or a progenitorthereof. A transgenic or non-transgenic single locus conversion can alsobe introduced by backcrossing, as is well known in the art. In certainembodiments of the invention, the single locus conversion may comprise adominant or recessive allele. The locus conversion may conferpotentially any desired trait upon the plant as described herein.

Single locus conversions may be implemented by a plant breedingtechnique called backcrossing wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a variety arerecovered in addition to the characteristics conferred by the singlelocus transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique. Asingle locus may comprise one gene, or in the case of transgenic plants,one or more transgenes integrated into the host genome at a single site(locus).

In a particular aspect, the invention provides for a method ofintroducing a single locus conversion into cotton cultivar FM 2322GLcomprising: (a) crossing the FM 2322GL plants, grown from seed depositedunder Accession No. ______, with plants of another cotton line thatcomprise a desired single locus to produce F1 progeny plants; (b)selecting F1 progeny plants that have the single locus to produceselected F1 progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected F1 progeny plantswith the FM 2322GL plants to produce first backcross progeny plants; (d)selecting for first backcross progeny plants that have the desiredsingle locus and the physiological and morphological characteristics ofcotton cultivar FM 2322GL as described herein (e.g., Table 3), whengrown in the same environmental conditions, to produce selected firstbackcross progeny plants; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one ormore times (e.g. one, two, three, four, etc. times) in succession toproduce selected third or higher backcross progeny plants that comprisethe desired single locus and all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of cotton cultivar FM 2322GL as described herein (e.g.,Table 3), when grown in the same environmental conditions. Plantsproduced by this method have all of the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of FM 2322GL, except for the characteristics derivedfrom the desired trait.

Another embodiment of the invention provides for a method of producingan essentially derived plant of cotton variety FM 2322GL comprisingintroducing a transgene conferring the desired trait into the plant,resulting in a plant with the desired trait and all of the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of cotton variety FM 2322GL when grownin the same environmental conditions. In another embodiment, theinvention provides for a method of producing an essentially derivedcotton plant from FM 2322GL comprising genetically transforming adesired trait in regenerable cell or tissue culture from a plantproduced by the invention, resulting in an essentially derived cottonplant that retains the expression of the phenotypic characteristics ofcotton variety FM 2322GL, except for the characteristics changed by theintroduction of the desired trait.

Desired traits described herein include modified cotton fibercharacteristics, herbicide resistance, insect or pest resistance,disease resistance, including bacterial or fungal disease resistance,male sterility, modified carbohydrate metabolism and modified fatty acidmetabolism. Such traits and genes conferring such traits are known inthe art. See, e.g., US 20090049564, incorporated by reference herein inits entirety.

The invention also provides for methods wherein the desired trait isherbicide tolerance and the tolerance is linked to a herbicide such asglyphosate, glufosinate, sulfonylurea, dicamba, phenoxy proprionic acid,cyclohexanedione, triazine, benzonitrile, bromoxynil or imidazalinone.

In one embodiment, the desired trait is insect resistance conferred by atransgene encoding a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) endotoxin, a derivativethereof, or a synthetic polypeptide modeled thereon.

Also included herein is a method of producing cotton seed, comprisingthe steps of using the plant grown from seed of cotton variety FM2322GL, of which a representative seed sample will be deposited underAccession No. ______, as a recurrent parent in crosses with other cottonplants different from FM 2322GL, and harvesting the resultant cottonseed.

Another embodiment of this invention relates to seeds, plants, plantcells and parts of plants of cotton varieties that are essentiallyderived from FM 2322GL, being essentially the same as this invention byexpressing the unique combination of characteristics of FM 2322GL,including the herbicide and insect resistance of FM 2322GL, except forthe characteristics (e.g., one, two, three, four, or five,characteristics) being different from the characteristics of FM 2322GLas a result of the act of derivation.

Another embodiment of this invention is the reproduction of plants of FM2322GL by the method of tissue culture from any regenerable plant tissueobtained from plants of this invention. Plants reproduced by this methodexpress the specific combination of characteristics of this inventionand fall within its scope. During one of the steps of the reproductionprocess via tissue culture, somaclonal variant plants may occur. Theseplants can be selected as being distinct from this invention, but stillfall within the scope of this invention as being essentially derivedfrom this invention.

Another embodiment of the invention provides for a method of producingan inbred cotton plant derived from the cotton variety FM 2322GLcomprising: (a) preparing a progeny plant derived from cotton variety FM2322GL, a representative sample of seed of said variety having beendeposited under ATCC Accession No. ______, by crossing cotton variety FM2322GL with a cotton plant of a second variety; (b) crossing the progenyplant with itself or a second plant to produce a seed of a progeny plantof a subsequent generation; (c) growing a progeny plant of a subsequentgeneration from said seed and crossing the progeny plant of a subsequentgeneration with itself or a second plant; and (d) repeating steps (b)and (c) for an additional 3-10 generations with sufficient inbreeding toproduce an inbred cotton plant derived from the cotton variety FM2322GL.

Another embodiment of this invention is the production of a hybridvariety, comprising repeatedly crossing plants of FM 2322GL with plantsof a different variety or varieties or with plants of a non-releasedline or lines. In practice, three different types of hybrid varietiesmay be produced (see e.g., Chapter 18, “Hybrid Varieties” in Briggs andKnowles, supra):

The “single cross hybrid” produced by two different lines, the “threeway hybrid”, produced by three different lines such that first thesingle hybrid is produced by using two out of the three lines followedby crossing this single hybrid with the third line, and the “four wayhybrid” produced by four different lines such that first two singlehybrids are produced using the lines two by two, followed by crossingthe two single hybrids so produced.

Each single, three way or four way hybrid variety so produced and usingFM 2322GL as one of the parent lines contains an essential contributionof FM 2322GL to the resulting hybrid variety and falls within the scopeof this invention.

The invention also provides for cotton lint or fiber produced by theplants of the invention, plants reproduced from the invention, andplants essentially derived from the invention. The final textileproduced from the unique fiber of FM 2322GL also falls within the scopeof this invention. The invention also provides for a method of producinga commodity plant product (e.g., lint, cotton seed oil) comprisingobtaining a plant of the invention or a part thereof, and producing saidcommodity plant product therefrom.

The entire disclosure of each document cited herein (e.g., US patentpublications, non-patent literature, etc.) is hereby incorporated byreference.

Experimental Examples Characterization of Cotton Variety FM 2322GL

Data were collected for distinguishing characteristics for FM 2322GL.The trial was conducted under irrigation with conventional management.The trial was designed to measure distinguishing characteristicsincluding yield and fiber quality.

TABLE 1 Plant morphological characteristics measured at two differentfarm locations. Plant Morphology Data Leaf and Stem Data Green Boll DataHeight Leaf Nodes to 1st Plant Size Leaf Stem Gland Length DiameterBreadth No. of to 1st FB Height Variety (cm) Hair Hair Density (cm) (cm)(cm) Locules FB (cm) (cm) FM 17.5 4.3 3.7 2.0 4.4 3.1 0.93 4.4 5.5 17.582.8 2322GL FM 16.4 4.6 4.5 2.0 4.2 3.4 0.99 4.4 6.7 22.1 83.6 9250GLDifference 1.1 −0.3 −0.8 0.0 0.2 −0.3 −0.06 0.0 −1.2 −4.6 −0.8 p-value0.000 0.292 0.028 0.422 0.134 0.014 0.074 0.961 0.007 0.023 0.630

TABLE 2 Lint yield, fiber quality traits and storm resistant data YieldLint % Storm (lbs⁻¹ % Open Resis- Len Str Entry Name acre) (%) (%) tance(in) (g/tex) Mic UR Elong FM 2322GL 1274 0.47 29.2 4.2 1.15 31.0 3.6980.0 6.2 FM 9250GL 1037 0.39 43.3 5.2 1.13 30.2 3.17 79.2 6.0 Mean 10900.42 28.50 3.8 1.17 31.1 3.5 80.0 6.4 LSD(.05) 60 0.02 5.8 0.6 0.02 1.20.16 0.6 0.1 CVErr 4.87 1.47 12.04 7.67 1.37 3.77 3.98 0.90 1.67 SigEnt0.00 0.00 0.01 0.04 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00

Maturity (PERCENT OPEN)* 10% = late 50% = mid 90% = very early StormResistance 1 = loose 5 = intermediate 9 = storm proof Stem Hair 1 =glaborous 5 = semi-smooth 9 = pubescent Leaf Hair 1 = glaborous 5 =semi-smooth 9 = pubescent

TABLE 3 Characteristics of FM 2322GL Variety Description of FM FMcharacteristic Possible expression/note 2322GL 9250GL General Plant TypePlant Habit spreading, intermediate, Inter- Inter- compact mediatemediate Foliage sparse, intermediate, Inter- Inter- dense mediatemediate Stem Lodging lodging, intermediate, Erect Erect erect FruitingBranch clustered, short, normal Normal Normal Growth determinate,intermediate, Inter- Indeter- indeterminate mediate minate Leaf colorgreenish yellow, light Medium Medium green, medium green, Green Greendark green Boll Shape Length < Width, L = W, Length > Length > L > WWidth Width Boll Breadth broadest at base, Middle Middle broadest atmiddle Maturity Days till maturity Mid Mid maturity maturity Plant cm.to first Fruiting from cotyledonary node 17.5 22.1 Branch No. of nodesto 1st excluding cotyledonary 5.5 6.7 Fruiting Branch node Mature PlantHeight cotyledonary node to 82.8 83.6 in cm. terminal Leaf: upper most,fully expanded leaf Type normal, sub-okra, okra, Normal Normalsuper-okra Pubescense absent, sparse, medium, Sparse Sparse denseNectaries present, absent Present Present Stem Pubescense glabrous,intermediate, Inter- Inter- hairy mediate mediate Glands (Gossypol)absent, sparse, normal, more than normal Leaf Normal Normal Stem NormalNormal Calyx lobe (normal is absent) Normal Normal Flower Petals cream,yellow Cream Cream Pollen cream, yellow Cream Cream Petal Spot present,absent Absent Absent Seed Seed Index g/100 seed fuzzy basis 10.3 10.5Lint Index g lint/100 seeds Boll Lint percent, picked 0.47 0.39 GinTurnout Number of Seeds per Boll Grams Seed Cotton per Boll Number ofLocules 4.4 4.4 per Boll Boll Type storm proof, storm Storm Stormresistant, open resistant resistant Fiber Properties HVI method Length,inches, 1.15 1.13 2.5% SL Uniformity (%) 80.0 79.2 Strength, T1 (g/tex)31.0 30.2 Elongation, E1 (%) 6.2 6.0 Micronaire 3.69 3.17

Deposit Information

Applicant will make a deposit of at least 2500 seeds of cotton varietyFM 2322GL disclosed herein at the American Type Culture Collection(ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110-2209 USA, underAccession No. ______. Seed of cotton variety FM 2322GL is located at theBayer CropScience Maricopa Cotton Breeding Station, 880 N Power Road,Bapschule, Ariz. 85121. The lot number for this seed material isUA3CN3099N. The seeds will be deposited with the ATCC on ______. Accessto the deposit will be available during the pendency of this applicationto persons determined by the Director of the U.S. Patent Office to beentitled thereto upon request. Subject to 37 C.F.R. §1.808(b), allrestrictions imposed by the depositor on the availability to the publicof the deposited material will be irrevocably removed upon the grantingof the patent. The deposit will be maintained for a period of 30 years,or 5 years after the most recent request, or for the enforceable life ofthe patent whichever is longer, and will be replaced if it ever becomesnonviable during that period. Applicant does not waive any rightsgranted under this patent on this application or under the Plant VarietyProtection Act (7 USC 2321 et seq.).

DEFINITIONS

In the description and tables which follow, a number of terms are used.In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecification and claims, the following definitions are provided:

A: When used in conjunction with the word “comprising” or other openlanguage in the claims, the words “a” and “an” denote “one or more.”

Allele: Any of one or more alternative forms of a gene locus, all ofwhich alleles relate to one trait or characteristic. In a diploid cellor organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding locion a pair of homologous chromosomes.

Backcrossing: A process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybridprogeny, for example a first generation hybrid (F1), back to one of theparents of the hybrid progeny.

Backcrossing can be used to introduce one or more single locusconversions from one genetic background into another.

Cm to FFB: Measure of centimeters to first fruiting branch.

Crossing: The mating of two parent plants.

Cross-pollination: Fertilization by the union of two gametes fromdifferent plants.

Desired Agronomic Characteristics: Agronomic characteristics (which willvary from crop to crop and plant to plant) such as yield, maturity, pestresistance and lint percent which are desired in a commerciallyacceptable crop or plant. For example, improved agronomiccharacteristics for cotton include yield, maturity, fiber content andfiber qualities.

Diploid: A cell or organism having two sets of chromosomes.

Disease Resistance: The ability of plants to restrict the activities ofa specified pest, such as an insect, fungus, virus, or bacterial.

Disease Tolerance: The ability of plants to endure a specified pest(such as an insect, fungus, virus or bacteria) or an adverseenvironmental condition and still perform and produce in spite of thisdisorder.

Donor Parent: The parent of a variety which contains the gene or traitof interest which is desired to be introduced into a second variety.

E1: Refers to elongation, a measure of fiber elasticity (high=moreelastic).

Emasculate: The removal of plant male sex organs or the inactivation ofthe organs with a cytoplasmic or nuclear genetic factor conferring malesterility or a chemical agent.

Essentially all the physiological and morphological characteristics: Aplant having essentially all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics means a plant having the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics, except for the characteristics derived from the desiredtrait.

F₁ Hybrid: The first generation progeny of the cross of two nonisogenicplants.

Fallout (Fo): As used herein, the term “fallout” refers to the rating ofhow much cotton has fallen on the ground at harvest.

FB5 cm to FFN: Measure of centimeters from main stem to first fruitingnode at fruiting branch 5.

2.5% Fiber Span Length: Refers to the longest 2.5% of a bundle of fibersexpressed in inches as measured by a digital fibergraph.

Fiber Characteristics: Refers to fiber qualities such as strength, fiberlength, micronaire, fiber elongation, uniformity of fiber and amount offiber.

Fiber Elongation: Sometimes referred to as E1, refers to the elongationof the fiber at the point of breakage in the strength determination asmeasured by High Volume Instrumentation (HVI).

Fiber Span Length: The distance spanned by a specific percentage offibers in a test specimen, where the initial starting point of thescanning in the test is considered 100 percent as measured by a digitalfibergraph.

Fiber Strength (Str): Denotes the force required to break a bundle offibers. Fiber strength is expressed in grams per tex on an HVI.

Fruiting Nodes: The number of nodes on the main stem from which arisebranches that bear fruit or boll in the first position.

Genotype: The genetic constitution of a cell or organism.

Gin Turnout: Refers to fraction of lint in a machine harvested sample ofseed cotton (lint, seed, and trash).

Haploid: A cell or organism having one set of the two sets ofchromosomes in a diploid.

Length (Len): The fiber length in inches using an HVI.

Linkage: A phenomenon wherein alleles on the same chromosome tend tosegregate together more often than expected by chance if theirtransmission was independent.

Lint Index: The weight of lint per seed in milligrams.

Lint Percent: The percentage of the seed cotton that is lint, handpickedsamples.

Lint Yield: Refers to the measure of the quantity of fiber produced on agiven unit of land. Presented below in pounds of lint per acre.

Lint/boll: As used herein, the term “lint/boll” is the weight of lintper boll.

Maturity Rating: A visual rating near harvest on the amount of openboils on the plant. The rating range is from 1 to 5, 1 being early and 5being late.

Micronaire (Mic): Refers to a measure of fiber fineness (high=coarsefiber) as measured with an HVI machine. Within a cotton cultivar,micronaire is also a measure of maturity. Micronaire differences aregoverned by changes in perimeter or in cell wall thickness, or bychanges in both. Within a variety, cotton perimeter is fairly consistentand maturity will cause a change in micronaire. Consequently, micronairehas a high correlation with maturity within a variety of cotton.Maturity is the degree of development of cell wall thickness.

Mr: Fiber maturity ratio.

Phenotype: The detectable characteristics of a cell or organism, whichcharacteristics are the manifestation of gene expression.

Plant Height: The average height in meters of a group of plants.

Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL): Quantitative trait loci (QTL) refer togenetic loci that control to some degree numerically representabletraits that are usually continuously distributed.

Recurrent Parent: The repeating parent (variety) in a backcross breedingprogram. The recurrent parent is the variety into which a gene or traitis desired to be introduced.

Regeneration: The development of a plant from tissue culture.

Seed/boll: Refers to the number of seeds per boll, handpicked samples.

Seedcotton/boll: Refers to the weight of seedcotton per boll, handpickedsamples.

Seedweight: Refers to the weight of 100 seeds in grams.

Self-pollination: The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigmaof the same plant or a plant of the same genotype.

Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant: Plants which are developed bya plant breeding technique called backcrossing wherein essentially allof the desired morphological and physiological characteristics of avariety are recovered in addition to the characteristics conferred bythe single locus transferred into the variety via the backcrossingtechnique. A single locus may comprise one gene, or in the case oftransgenic plants, one or more transgenes integrated into the hostgenome at a single site (locus).

Stringout Rating: also sometimes referred to as “Storm Resistance”refers to a visual rating prior to harvest of the relative looseness ofthe seed cotton held in the boll structure on the plant. The ratingvalues are from 1 to 5 (tight to loose in the boll).

Substantially Equivalent: A characteristic that, when compared, does notshow a statistically significant difference (e.g., p=0.05) from themean.

T1: A measure of fiber strength, grams per tex (high=stronger fiber).

Tissue Culture: A composition comprising isolated cells of the same or adifferent type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of aplant.

Transgene: A genetic locus comprising a sequence which has beenintroduced into the genome of a cotton plant by transformation.

Uniformity Ratio (Ur): The proportion of uniform length fibers. Theuniformity ratio is determined by dividing the 50% fiber span length bythe 2.5% fiber span length.

Vegetative Nodes: The number of nodes from the cotyledonary node to thefirst fruiting branch on the main stem of the plant.

CITED REFERENCES

-   Lawrence P. Burdett, “Cotton Variety 02T15,” U.S. Pub. No.    20090049564.-   F. N. Briggs, and P. F Knowles, 1967: “Introduction to Plant    Breeding”, Rheinhold Publishing Corporation.-   H. F. Sakhanoko et al 2004: “Induction of Somatic embryogenesis and    Plant Regeneration in Select Georgia and Pee Dee Cotton Lines”, Crop    Science 44: 2199-2205.-   Umbeck et al 1988: “Genetic engineering of cotton plants and lines”,    Patent application number EP0290355.-   Reynaerts et al 2000: “Improved method for Agrobacterium mediated    transformation of cotton”, Patent application number WO 0071733.-   P. Stam, 2003: “Marker-assisted introgression: speed at any cost?”    Proceedings of the Eucarpia Meeting on Leafy Vegetable Genetics and    Breeding, Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, 19-21 Mar. 2003. Eds.    Th. J. L. van Hintum, A. Lebeda, D. Pink, J. W. Schut. P117-124.-   Trolinder et al. “Herbicide tolerant cotton plants having event    EE-GH1.” U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,807 (2004).

1. A seed of cotton variety FM 2322GL, wherein a representative seed ofsaid variety was deposited as ATCC Accession No. ______.
 2. A plant, ora part thereof, produced by growing the seed of claim
 1. 3. A plant, ora part thereof, obtained by vegetative reproduction from the plant, or apart thereof, of claim 2, said plant, or a part thereof, expressing allthe phenotypic characteristics of cotton variety FM 2322GL, a sample ofseed of cotton variety FM 2322GL having been deposited as ATCC AccessionNo. ______.
 4. A process of vegetative reproduction of cotton variety FM2322GL comprising, culturing regenerable cells or tissue from FM 2322GL,a sample of seed of cotton variety FM 2322GL having been deposited asATCC Accession No. ______.
 5. A cell or tissue culture produced from theplant, or a part thereof, of claim
 2. 6. A cotton plant regenerated fromthe cell or tissue culture of claim 5, said plant expressing all thephenotypic characteristics of FM 2322GL, a sample of seed of cottonvariety FM 2322GL having been deposited as ATCC Accession No. ______. 7.A method of producing a F1 hybrid cotton seed, comprising the steps ofcrossing the plant of claim 2 with a different cotton plant andharvesting the resultant F1 hybrid cotton seed.
 8. A F1 hybrid cottonseed produced by the method of claim
 7. 9. A F1 hybrid cotton plant, orpart thereof, produced by growing the hybrid seed of claim
 8. 10. Aplant obtained by the vegetative reproduction of the cotton plant ofclaim
 9. 11. A method of producing a cotton seed comprising the steps ofcrossing the plant of claim 10 with a different cotton plant andharvesting the resultant cotton seed.
 12. A method of introducing adesired trait into a cotton plant, the method comprising, transformingthe plant of claim 2 with a transgene that confers the desired trait,wherein the transformed plant retains all the phenotypic characteristicsof cotton variety FM 2322GL and contains the desired trait.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein said desired trait is fiber quality,herbicide resistance, insect resistance, bacterial disease resistance orfungal disease resistance.
 14. A method of introducing a desired traitinto a cotton plant, the method comprising transforming the plant ofclaim 9 with a transgene that confers the desired trait, wherein thetransformed plant retains all the phenotypic characteristics of cottonvariety FM 2322GL and contains the desired trait, seed of cotton varietyFM 2322GL having been deposited as ATCC Accession No. ______.
 15. Acotton plant produced by the method of claim
 12. 16. A method ofintroducing a single locus conversion into cotton variety FM 2322GLcomprising: (a) crossing a plant of variety FM 2322GL with a secondplant comprising a desired single locus to produce F1 progeny plants;(b) selecting F1 progeny plants that have the single locus to produceselected F1 progeny plants; (c) crossing the selected progeny plantswith at least a first plant of variety FM 2322GL to produce backcrossprogeny plants; (d) selecting backcross progeny plants that have thesingle locus and all physiological and morphological characteristics ofcotton variety FM 2322GL to produce selected backcross progeny plants;and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) one or more times in succession toproduce selected second or higher backcross progeny plants that comprisethe single locus and otherwise comprise all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of cotton variety FM 2322GL when grown inthe same environmental conditions.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereinthe single locus confers a trait selected from the group consisting ofmale sterility; herbicide tolerance; insect or pest resistance; diseaseresistance; modified fatty acid metabolism; modified carbohydratemetabolism; and modified cotton fiber characteristics.
 18. AnEssentially Derived Variety of FM 2322GL having one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of FM 2322GL and which otherwise has all the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of FM 2322GL, wherein a representativesample of seed of variety FM 2322GL has been deposited as ATCC AccessionNo. ______.